Author: Glenn Hauman

Sean Howe shows us proof that Marvel sold original artwork instead of returning it to the artists, or compensating them in any way.

Marvel began returning current pages to artists sometime in 1974, and eventually worked retroactively back a few months, to comics cover-dated from January 1974; among the earliest issues from which art was sent back were Avengers #119 and Amazing Spider-Man #128.

But a year earlier, Marvel sold the covers to these issues, cover-dated January 1973, to the Winnipeg Art Gallery. Seven covers, plus progressive proofs and color guides for each, for a total of $770.

Back in 1986, Irene Vartanoff (who began managing artwork return in 1975) told The Comics Journal that Marvel would occasionally send artwork to exhibits. But as far as I know, this is the only evidence that exists of Marvel actually accepting money for pages of original art.

It’s unclear if the gallery still possesses the pages; nothing comes up on their inventory database. But if Rich Buckler, Joe Sinnott, Barry Smith, John Romita, Sal Buscema, or Tom Palmer happens to read this, they may want to give them a call.

via MARVEL COMICS: THE UNTOLD STORY (Untold Stories: Marvel Sells Stash of Original Art…).

It has been long suspected that lots of comic art went out the door. But this is the first documented proof I’ve seen that Marvel did so and profited from it.

A quick guess puts the value of all that original art at $35,000 today. We wonder if the artists are ever going to see any of it.

Tier Zero, the sequel to New Pulp Author Henry Brown’s debut novel, Hell & Gone, is now available as paperback, Kindle, and Smashwords ebook.

About Tier Zero:
Tommy Scarred Wolf thought he had smelled the powder for the last time ten years ago. Then somebody messed with his family.

With no government willing or able to help out, it’s up to Tommy and his detective brother, Vince, to find Vince’s kidnapped daughter halfway around the world. But rescuing her is going to take funding, firepower, and friends. Fortunately, Tommy knows some shooters just crazy enough to tag along–including some survivors from his last suicide mission: retired SEAL team commander Rocco Cavarra; former Delta Force operator Jake McCallum; and the unflappable sniper Leon Campbell.

On the ocean, in the jungle, and an urban purgatory, Tommy Scarred Wolf and his warrior brothers will face human traffickers, modern-day pirates, a typhoon, and an ultra-secret black ops team so dangerous even the CIA can’t touch them. There’s something far more sinister than just “white slavery” going on here, and it’s about to ram these men through a crucible which may never end…except in death.

New Pulp Publisher, Mechanoid Press has announced that the new anthology, Monster Earth is now available on Kindle with other ebooks and a print version coming soon.

PRESS RELEASE:

Welcome to a world where the Cold War was fought not with the threat of nuclear destruction, but with Giant Monsters.

Watch as the denizens of this Earth that might have been learn to harness the power of these legendary creatures for good and ill. In these seven tales you’ll witness first hand as…

–A young boy learns the value of sacrifice when the Japanese use a giant monster to attack Pearl Harbor…

–An Inuit confronts his heritage to harness a frightening creature of the Great White North…

–A false guru’s greed endangers 1960s Boston…

All this and more await you in the pages of MONSTER EARTH!

Join editors James Palmer (Slow Djinn), Jim Beard (Sgt. Janus, Spirit-Breaker) and some of the most talented voices in New Pulp, including Nancy Hansen (Prophecy’s Gambit), Edward M. Erdelac (The Merkabah Rider series), and I.A. Watson (Blackthorn: Dynasty of Mars) as they take you to frightening vision of Earth…

MONSTER EARTH!

Monster Earth is an original giant monster anthology containing almost 75,000 words of monster mayhem.

You can find Monster Earth on Kindle here.

About Monster Earth:
MONSTER EARTH harkens back to the classic giant monsters of yesteryear like Godzilla, Mothra, Gamera, and King Kong, while focusing on the human element and what it would be like to live in such a world where giant monsters terrorize the Earth.

“There have been a few other giant monster anthologies over the years,” says Palmer. “But our book is going to be a bit different. It has a unifying concept, as well as a solid pulp style of storytelling.”

Developed by MONSTER EARTH co-editor Jim Beard (writer, Captain Action and the Riddle of the Glowing Men), each story in the book takes place in a different decade of the 20th century, which leads to a Cold War fought with giant monsters rather than the threat of nuclear weapons.

“I really wanted all the stories to have an underlying thread that weaves between them all the stories, and Jim really came up with a winner.”

The stories in MONSTER EARTH have a strong human angle as well.

“Focusing in on the human beings living in this world is important to me,” says Palmer. “The monsters are like forces of nature, with the humans trying to control them. But don’t worry, these aren’t just regular human interest stories with a monster thrown in for window dressing. There are plenty of great monster battles and more than enough citywide destruction to please the most discerning kaiju fan – and anyone who loves a good tale.

About Mechanoid Press:
Mechanoid Press is a new imprint specializing in science fiction, New Pulp, and steampunk ebooks and anthologies. For more, visit www.mechanoidpress.com or follow the robot revolution on Twitter. You can also like Mechanoid Press on Facebook.

New Pulp Author Don Gates announced the “kinda-triumphant, semi-anticipated” return of the Challenger Storm web-serial. Episode 7 is now live!

You can read Challenger Storm Episode 7: “The Gauntlet Begins” here.

Coming February 2013

The movie poster

New Pulp Author Lee Goldberg has announced a new novella called FAST TRACK debuting in February.

The author offered a peek at the great cover from Jeroen ten Berge. The Fast Track novella is based on the movie Goldberg wrote and produced a few years back.

Learn more about Fast Track here.

This week, the Earth Station One podcast crew celebrates the birthday of one of the most iconic characters in literature, Sherlock Holmes. Joining ESO co-hosts Mike Faber, Mike Gordon, and Bobby ash for cake, ice cream, and mystery are guests Ashley Bergner, Doctor Q, and Ron Fortier, who also takes a turn in The Geek Seat. While the World’s Greatest Detective deducts what presents we brought without opening them, we investigate his legacy and current popularity. We also chat with entertainer and musician Ken Spivey about his upcoming Time Lord Fest. Plus the usual Rants, Raves, Khan Report, and Shout Outs!

Join us for yet another episode of The Earth Station One Podcast we like to call: The Further Adventures of Sherlock Holmes at www.esopodcast.com.
Direct link: http://erthstationone.wordpress.com/2013/01/09/earth-station-one-episode-145-the-further-adventures-of-sherlock-holmes/

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